Articulated joint for sinuous chain conveyers



H. E. SMITH Sept. 14, 1954 ARTICULATED JOINT FOR SINUOUS CHAIN CONVEYERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17, 1952 INVENTOR. fiEE/VAA/E 67w r/-/ Sept. 14, 1954 H. E. SMITH 2,689,034

ARTICULATED JOINT FOR SINUOUS cum: CONVEYERS Filed Dec. 17. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E4 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 14, 1954 ARTICULATED JOINT FOR SINUOUS CHAIN CONVEYERS Herman E. Smith, Riverside, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 17, 1952, Serial No. 326,458

4 Claims.

This invention relate to improvements in conveyors and more particularly relates to an improved closure means and flight hold down across the gaps between adjacent ends of the troughs of an articulated conveyor.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved form of closure means for closing the gaps between adjacent ends of the troughs of an articulated conveyor, having a retaining guide associated therewith, holding the flights down to the bottom of the conveyor trough in all positions of articulation of the trough sections of the conveyor with respect to each other.

Another object of my invention is to provide an articulated trough construction for a sinuous conveyor of the center strand chain and flight type having a simple form of hold down means, holding down the flights as they pass by the articulated joints of the conveyor and maintaining the closure plates at the gaps between the side walls of the conveyor into slidable engagement therewith as the trough sections of the conveyor are pivoted with respect to each other A further object of my invention is to provide a closure means for a sinuous flight conveyor, closing the gaps between adjacent ends of the trough sections of the conveyor and holding down the conveyor flights during movement along the articulated joint thereof, which is of a simpler form and more economical construction than the conventional gap closure and articulated joint structures heretofore used in flexible conveyors of this type.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a means for closing the gaps between adjacent side walls of the trough sections of an articulated conveyor at the articulated joint thereof, wherein the closure means also forms a hold down for the ends of the flights at the joints between the trough sections of the conveyor, and is retained in closure engagement with the side walls of the trough sections of the conveyor by slidable engagement of the hold down therewith.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following speciflcation proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of an articulated trough section of a sinuous conveyor, illustrating one form in which my invention may be embodied;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the trough section shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken through the conveyor at the pivot thereof.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, the sinuous conveyor may be made up of a series of conveyor trough units, each including two similar trough sections In and H, connected together at their ends in end to end relation with respect to each other. The trough sections l0 and II are shown as being pivotally connected at their adjacent ends for movement about the axis of an upright pin l2. A laterally flexible endless chain [3 having parallel spaced transverse flights l4, l4 pivotally connected thereto at suitable intervals, passes along the center of the conveyor troughs l0 and H for conveying loose material therealong, the flights being guided at their ends on the insides of the side walls of the troughs of the conveyor.

The conveyor chain l3 and flights l4, 14 are shown as being of a conventional laterally flexible construction, including a plurality of links l5, [5 connected together for movement about horizontal axes and having pivotal connection with opposite sides of the flights I4, 14 for pivotal movement about vertical axes, giving the conveyor sufflcient lateral flexibility to conform to the trough sections in and II, when in various laterally extended positions with respect to each other about the axis of the pin 12.

The upper run of the conveyor is shown as being movable along the top surface of materialcarrying pans I6 and ll of the respective trough sections In and II. The return run of the conveyor may, a usual, be guided for movement beneath the pans l6 and I1 along under pans l9, 19 supporting the return run of the conveyor.

The trough sections [0 and II are shown as having upstanding generally parallel side walls 20, 20 and 2|, 2| respectively, extending above and below the pans Hi and I1, and suitably secured to opposite sides thereof, and to opposite side of the bottom pans l9, l9 as by welding.

At the ends of the side walls 20, 20 and secured thereto, inwardly of the ends thereof, are bifurcated coupling members 23, 23, adapted to receive coupling tongues 24, 24, spaced laterally from and extending forwardly of the adjacent side walls 2!, 2| of the next adjacent trough section. The coupling tongues 28, 24 are adapted to extend within the space between the furcations of the coupling members 23, 23, and to be pivotally connected thereto as by horizontally extending coupling pins (not shown), connecting said trough sections to conform to rolling ground.

Supporting the trough sections I and II on the ground for movement therealong is a pair of wheels 25, 25 rotatably mounted on opposite ends of an axle 25, which may extend beneath the trough section III and be suitably secured thereto. The wheels 25, 25 are mounted intermediate the ends of the trough section It and besides forming a support for theconveyor on the ground also enable a :person to grasp the end of the trough section II as 'by coupling tongues 22, 22 and lift the same and wheel the individual trough sections along the ground as a wheelbarrow, when assembling or disconnecting the conveyor to extend or move the same to a new location.

The free end of the bottom pan I7. of the trough section Il may be curved downwardly from the horizontal as indicated by reference character 2! and slidably engaged by an overlapping beveled or arcuate free end of the bottom plate I6, so as to form a continuous trough with no gap therebetween, where the ground may be uneven, and to prevent the spilling of coal at the joints between the individual trough sections and to provide a smooth uninterrupted conveying surface across the joints thereof.

The side walls 2|, 2| are likewise shown as having spaced retaining plates 29, 29 secured to opposite sides thereof, and extending forwardly therefrom and having slidable engagement with opposite sides of the side walls 20, 20 of the next adjacent trough section to maintain the gaps between adjacent ends of the trough sections-closed, when one trough section is vertically displaced with respect to .the other.

Brackets 30, 30 are shown as extending outwardly from the side walls 20, 20 rearwardly of the wheels .25, 25 and as having rollers 34, 3| mounted thereon for rotation about vertical pivot pins 32, 32. Said rollers may engage an arcuate guide (not shown), which may be positioned about a corner where the mine room communicates with the mine entry, to accommodate the sinuous conveyor to be connected to and extended from a loading machine, or continuous mining machine, out of the working place and along a mine entry extending at right angles to the work ing place and to be advanced with the loading machine and load into a main line conveyor extending along the entry, as in an application Serial No. 203,676, filed by Frank Cartlidge on December 30, 1950 and entitled Portable Conveying Apparatus.

The trough section III is shown as having flanges 33, .33 extending laterally outwardly from the upper ends of the .side walls .29, 20 and forming a stiffening means therefor. The trough section II is shown as having similar flanges 34, 35 extending laterally outwardly from the tops of the side walls 2|, 2| thereof.

The end of the plate I6, adjacent the plate I1, is shown .as being concavely formed by an arc struck from the center .of the pin I2 and as having slidable engagement with a coaxial conframe member 39 extending along the "bottom of the plate 3'! and secured to the trough section It between the side walls thereof. In a like I manner the bottom pan I9 has a plate 4|) secured to the bottom thereof, in which is mounted a pivot pin 4|, depending therefrom and pivotally articulation with respect to each other.

mounted in a cross-frame member 42, secured to the trough section I0 between the side walls thereof.

The means for closing the gaps between the adjacent ends of the side walls 20 and 2| of the trough sections III and I are herein shown as comprising two upright closure plates 43, 43 interleaving the inner ends of the side walls 20, 20 and pivotally-connected thereto on vertical pivot pins 44, 44. The closure plates 183, 43 are shown as being of a generally arcuate :form, extending across the gaps between the adjacent ends of the side walls 20 and 2| and *slidably engaging the outer sides of the side walls 2|, 2|. The closure plates 43, 43 extend within retainer bars '45, 45 extending vertically along the side walls 2|, :21. The retainer bars 45, 45 are secured at their upper ends to the bottoms of the flanges til, :34 and at their lower ends to ears 4-6, 55 extending outwardly from the sidewalls 2|, 21 adjacent the bottom plate I! thereof.

The gaps beneath the bottom plate I l are shown as being closed by closure plates 41, 41, interleaving the portions of the side walls 20, 20 "beneath the plate I1 and slidably engaging the side walls 2|, 2|. Each closure plate 41 is retained in engagement with an associated side wall 2| by a retainer bar 49. Each retainer bar '49 is shown as being mounted between the bottom :of :an ear 45 extending outwardly from the side wall 2|. in substantial alignment with the bottom plate I! and a downwardly spaced ear 59 extending laterally from the sidewall 2|, adjacent the bottom thereof.

Spaced upwardly from and parallel to the bot-- tom plate I6 are inwardly extending hold-down flanges 5|, 5|. The hold down flanges 5|, 5] may be secured to the insides of the .side walls 20, 20, as by welding, and extend therealong parallel to the bottom pan It for substantially the length thereof. The undersurfaces of the hold down flanges 5|, 5| may be slidably engagedby the upper surfaces of the flights Id, I4 to retain said flights to the bottom plate It during travel therealong, particularly when the trough sections H3 and I I are in various positions .of Each hold down 5| is shown as extending beyond the inner end .of the associated side wall .22 along, but spaced inwardly from the associated closure plate '43 and as having an advance outer edge 52 curved or inclined outwardly from-said closure plate and engaging said closure plate when the trough sections In and Il are in extreme positions of articulation.

Hold down flanges 53, 53 similar to the hold down flanges 5|, 5|, but spaced 'therebeneath,

' extend along the side walls 2|, 2| and slidably yond the end .of the side wall .2-.I and as having an outer edge .56 curving .inwardly toward the closure member 43 and engaging the same in the extreme positions of articulation of the trough sections.

In Figures 5 and 6, the hold down flange 5I is shown as overlapping the hold down plate 55 in the region of articulation of the trough sections In and I I and as slidably moving therealong during articulation of the trough sections I and II. The hold down plate 55 is likewise shown as overlapping the hold down plate 53 and as being slidably movable therealong as the trough sections I0 and II are pivotally moved with respect to each other. The direction of travel of the conveyor chain I3 and flights I4, I4 along the trough sections In and I I is thus from the trough section I I to the trough section II) with the flights I4, I4 traveling from the hold down flanges 53, 53 to and beneath the hold down plates 55, 55 and hold down flanges 5I, 5|.

Each hold down plate 55 is shown as having an elongated slot 5! formed therein and opening toward the adjacent end of the side wall 2|. Each side wall 2| is shown as having a slot 58 formed therein opening to the hold down plate 55 and receiving an inner end 59 thereof when the trough sections are in the position shown in Figure 5. The slot 51 is shown as being curved to conform generally to the path of travel of the side wall 2| at the inner end of the slot 58 in all positions of articulation of the trough sections In and II with respect to each other. The slot 51 is shown' as extending along oppostie sides of the side wall from the inner end of the slot 58, as one trough section is pivoted with respect to the other about the axis of the pivot pin I2.

The edges of the slot 5'! in the hold down plate 55, engaging opposite sides of the side wall 2i from within the slot 58, thus serve to maintain the hold down plate 55 in position to close the gap between the hold down flanges 5I and 53 in all positions of articulation of the conveyor. The slot 51 in cooperation with the side wall 2| also pivotally moves the closure plate 43 and maintains said closure plate in engagement with the side wall H, as the trough sections I0 and II are pivoted with respect to each other about the axis of the pivot pin I2.

It will be understood that modifications and variations of the present invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. An articulated conveyor unit comprising two pivoted trough sections, each having a bottom plate and upright side walls adapted to have an endless chain and flights movable therealong, and means closing the gaps between said side walls in all positions of articulation of said trough sections with respect to each other comprising closure plates pivoted to the ends of the side walls of the rear of said trough sections and extending along the outsides of the side walls of the forward of said trough sections, hold down guides extending inwardly of said closure plates in parallel relation with respect to said bottom plates and spaced thereabove and having slots extending therealong opening toward said side walls for engagement with opposite sides thereof to retain said closure plates to the outsides of the side walls of the forward of said trough sections in all positions of articulation of said trough sections with respect to each other.

2. An articulated conveyor unit comprising two aligned pivoted trough sections. each having bottom pans and generally parallel upright side walls adapted to have a center strand laterally flexible endless chain and flights movable therealong between saidside walls, means closing the gaps bee tween said side walls comprising closure plates pivoted to the ends of the side Walls of the rear of said trough sections and extending along the outsides of the side walls of the forward of said trough sections, hold down members extending inwardly of said side walls in parallel relation with respect to said bottom pans, and means holding down said flights in the region of articulation of said trough sections comprising hold down plates secured to said closure plates and underlapping one of said hold down members and overlapping the other and having elongated arcuate slots extending therealong opening toward the side Walls of the forward of said trough sections, said last mentioned side walls also having slots opening toward said hold down plates and receiving the same and accommodating said slots in said hold down plates to slidably engage opposite sides of said side walls and move said closure plates to follow the forward of said trough sections in all positions of articulation of the conveyor.

3. In an articulated conveyor structure, two trough sections, each having a bottom pan and upright side walls extending along each side thereof, a vertical pivot pin pivotally connecting adjacent ends of said bottom pans together, a laterally flexible center strand chain having flights projecting laterally therefrom guided for movement between said side walls on the ends of said flights, hold down flanges extending inwardly of said side walls for engagement with said flights, means closing the gaps between said side walls comprising closure plates vertically pivoted to opposite side walls of the rear of said trough sections and extending along the outsides of the side walls of the forward of said trough sections, means retaining said closure plates to move along the side walls of the forward of said trough sections and closing the gaps between said hold down flanges in all positions of articulation of said trough sections with respect to each other comprising hold down plates secured to said closure plates and extending inwardly therefrom in overlapping relation with respect to the forward of said hold down flanges and in underlapping relation with respect to the rear of said hold down flanges, said hold down plates each having an elongated slot therein having slidable engagement with opposite sides of the walls to the next adjacent trough section and pivoted thereby upon pivotal movement of said trough sections with respect to each other for maintaining a continuous hold down flange in the region of articulation of the conveyor and moving said closure plates to maintain an uninterrupted flow of material along said trough'sections.

4. In an articulated conveyor structure, two trough sections, each having a bottom pan and upright side walls extending along each side thereof, a vertical pivot pin pivotally connecting adjacent ends of said bottom pans together, a center strand chain and flights guided for movement between said side walls, hold down flanges for the ends of said flights extending inwardly of said side walls, means closing the gaps between said side walls comprising closure plates vertically pivoted to the ends of opposite side walls of the rearof said trough sections and extending along the outsides of the side walls of the forward of said trough sections, means retaining said closure plates to move along the forward of said trough swims fa'ndwlosimg the {gains between mijacent ends 'of said mold (rownfianges comprising :hol-d d'ownzplates extending mwardlyfrom said' closure pl'aites in ov'erlapping reIationwith-resp'et to the rorwa'rd of said-hold'down fiamge's an'd in underlapping "relation with respect 1:0 the rear of said lml'd down flanges, said 110101 down pl-ates each having an elongated sIot'merin, and' th'ezforward 0 1 said side walls eacih having a, slot extendmg thereaslong in registry with the associated hold down,aeeommodafimgthe wail-1s 'af saidsrcst in the associated hdld down to r'fga'ge oppdsit'e sides of an associated side wall ma *be' piyotall-y mm ed thereby :upon pivotal mdvement of "said trough sections with respect to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PA'IEN'TS Nqm'ber 4 Name 1 Date I 2,366,407 :Jeffrey in--- Jan. 2, '1'945 10 2385108 part lidge q..- Aug "1, 1945 2,512,610 Carthage June 27, 1950 

